Where the correct acreage of a piece of real property was contained on a publicly recorded plat, plaintiffs could not maintain a cause of action for misrepresentation or concealment based on the seller or realtor stating that the property was larger than it actually was. In Archer v. The Home…
Articles Posted in Miscellaneous
Large jury award affirmed in negligence case against Kroger
Where plaintiff fell and broke her hip in a grocery store due to her shopping cart missing a wheel, yet she mostly recovered from the injury, a jury verdict of approximately $90,000 in medical expenses and the maximum allowable amount of $750,000 in noneconomic damages was affirmed. In Wortham v.…
Nuisance claim arising from construction fails
Where plaintiff claimed that defendant created a nuisance by allowing debris to drain onto her land and by causing a sewage smell, but the only evidence consisted of conflicting witness testimony with the trial court crediting defendant’s testimony, dismissal of the nuisance claim was affirmed. In Magness v. Couser, No.…
New Executive Order on Notarizing Documents
Tennessee’s Governor has issued Executive Order 26, which permits the remote notarization and witnessing of documents. The Executive Order outlines the procedure that must be followed for the remote notarization to be effective. The Order is effective today but expires on May 18, 2020.
Sue Employer in Tort For Coronavirus-Related Death? Not in Tennessee
We have seen several wrongful death lawsuits filed the the families of deceased employees, claiming that the employers negligently caused the death of the decedents by, for example, “knowing” about the decedent’s COVID-19 symptoms and disregarding them. Here is an example on one such lawsuit in Illinois. The Illinois lawsuit…
Property owner not liable when employee of independent contractor was injured.
Where a plaintiff was injured while working on a construction site owned by defendant, but the trial court ruled that plaintiff was actually an employee of an independent contractor retained by defendant, the Court of Appeals affirmed a jury verdict finding defendant only 10% at fault for plaintiff’s injuries. In…
False imprisonment statute of limitations begins to run when imprisonment ends.
The Tennessee Court of Appeals recently held that “the statute of limitations for false imprisonment claims does not begin to run until the imprisonment ends.” In Lovell v. Warren County, Tennessee, No. M2019-00582-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Dec. 16, 2019), plaintiff had been arrested and put in jail on August 16,…
Summary Judgment Affirmed on Negligent Misrepresentation Claim
Where an attorney working for a bank gave the bank president advice about his resignation but also recommended that he seek independent counsel, the Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment on a negligent misrepresentation claim. In Batten v. Community Trust and Banking Company, No. E2017-00279-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Aug. 26,…
No Trespass Claim Where Unmanned Truck Rolled Into House
Where defendants’ truck rolled into a duplex owned by plaintiff causing real property damage, a directed verdict for defendants on all but plaintiff’s negligence claim as well as a jury verdict for diminution in value to the property was affirmed. In Twenty Holdings, LLC v. Land South LLC and…
Economic Loss Doctrine Bars Plaintiff’s Fraud Claim
Where a commercial plaintiff suffered only economic damages due to the purchase of allegedly defective trucks, its fraud claim was barred by the economic loss doctrine. In Milan Supply Chain Solutions Inc. F/K/A Milan Express Inc. v. Navistar Inc., No. W2018-00084-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Aug. 14, 2019), plaintiff purchased over…